Bud's Blog - Breathe Deeply

I Have Moved!

2009-02-16T08:48:00.001-05:00

I am no longer using this bolg. Please visit me at
www.budbeverly.com for recent writings. See ya there!

Visit Me

2009-01-26T16:24:00.000-05:00

Visit me at www.budbeverly.com

Breaking the Rules

2009-01-20T08:27:00.005-05:00

A few nights ago I broke one of my rules and it stretched me. It felt uncomfortable and wrong at first. My mind was telling me that it was wrong and my emotions dispensing anxiety like a slot machine hitting triple lucky sevens. It could not be right for me to do it since it felt so wrong. I suppressed the voice in my head that was screaming, "NO, DON'T DO IT BUD!" I pushed back the anxiety that I was feeling for what I was about to do. The battle in my mind was furious. Over the years I have heard a few preachers say that if it feels wrong and your mind is saying don't, you better not do it. This felt wrong and my mind was saying don't but I did it anyway.

You may be wondering what I did. Let me tell you. We went to a movie (that's not it) a few nights ago and I have had a hard and fast rule for years that no popcorn can be eaten out of the bag or bucket until the movie starts. Carla has tried to tell me in the past that the legal point for popcorn eating is when the previews start. She can be tricky but I wasn't born yesterday and a rule is a rule.

On this night something happened that caught my attention. I saw Carla get some popcorn out of Joshua's bag during the previews. At that moment, the temptation to let her have some out of our bag hit me with full force. I was about to break a rule that I have held for years and it didn't feel right but it was very right. I leaned over and whispered to her that she could have some of our popcorn before the movie starts. She looked twice to make sure she wasn't sitting by the wrong man. Nope, it was her man, the rule breaker!

I have discovered over the years that we Christians are notorious for making up rules (more religious than the popcorn rule) that have no basis in the scriptures but we tend to hold to them as if our spot in heaven depended on it. We also tend to hold others to our rules. It is almost as if we need to keep a lot of rules to feel like God loves us. That is not unlike the Pharisee's of Jesus earthly ministry. Not only did they have the Law to adhere to but they added their own rules to the Law to make them feel more holy. When Jesus broke some of their rules they were very upset and it solidified for them that he couldn't be the Messiah. Surely the Messiah wouldn't break their religious rules would he? He would and he did!

I think one rule that we could all stand to keep without breaking it is the rule of not judging others based on our self-imposed and sometimes self-righteous rules. Also, know that some of the religious rules we establish in our minds, that have no biblical foundation, can make us feel like we are doing something wrong if we break them. The very right thing to do is break them and our dependence on them for a right standing with God. Religious rule keeping doesn't make us more holy, more acceptable to God, or more loved by God. As a matter of fact, it can take us further away from the true Holiness of God. The more we depend on rule keeping (like the Pharisee's) to find acceptance with God, the less we trust in the grace of God through Christ.

If you want to be free to know and walk with Jesus, embrace the words of the apostle Paul, "...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

A Tiny Little Spider

2008-12-29T13:59:00.002-05:00

Last night I was sitting and watching a tiny little spec of a spider work. I was fascinated with it. That little guy was building a web or spinning it or whatever you call what a spider does. By the time I began to watch, it had built a web about the size of a quarter. I was spellbound watching that little guy go. That little spider worked consistently and persistently until it had expanded its territory to several inches.

I wondered if it was angry because a big strong spider did not come to help. It did not seem to be but then how do you know if a spider is angry or not. Did it feel small and insignificant and want to quit? I don’t know that either but if it did I could not tell by the way it worked. That little spider just kept on working consistently and persistently.

Just before the little spider died, it had expanded its territory to what must have seemed like miles to the little guy. I noticed that after the little spider was dead it did not work anymore. Everything that it accomplished was while it was alive.

That little spider died because I killed it (I don’t like spiders in my house), but not before I learned some valuable lessons from it. While that little spider was alive, it did what its Creator created it to do and it did it well. That is what we need to do. We only have one go around on this earth, so we need to do what our Creator put us here for and do it well. It could have felt a sense of entitlement and sat waiting for another spider to build a web for it. It could have complained that life was not fair for little spiders and spent its life as a victim waiting to for a rescue. Instead, that little spider worked hard and smart, consistently and persistently, and did what spiders do. When it left this world, it left an admirer. Me!

Are you tired and feeling as if you are spinning your wheels and going nowhere fast? You are probably accomplishing more than you think. The little spider may have thought it was just building a web but it was actually doing so much more. It was inspiring me and now I am writing this little blurb that will in turn inspire millions. Okay, maybe inspire is too strong a word and millions may be a little exaggerated but you get the jist. You are doing more than spinning out a life; you are inspiring others along the way. Way to go!!!

Spinning out a Thought,
Bud

PS. I know some of you are probably thinking that if that little spider had stayed home eating chips and watching TV, it would probably still be alive. The fact is it would have died eventually anyway. Can you imagine what a boring story it would have had to share with all the other little spiders when it went to spider heaven?

“How did you get here”, one little spider may have asked. “Well I was lying around eating chips and watching TV when I suddenly died of a heart attack and here I am.”

How about this - “I had ventured out into the land of the giants. I put it all on the line and took a risk. I used the talents the Creator had given me and weaved an awesome web. You should have seen it, it was hundreds of miles in diameter. Suddenly the earth began to shake and I saw a giant human, millions of feet tall, coming toward me. I fought a good fight but in the end he took me out and here I am.”

I think we all know which story we would rather listen to if we were a little spider in Little Spider Heaven!

Careful Persistence

2008-12-19T11:20:00.003-05:00

Many years ago when I was just a boy, my dad and I were at my papaws house visiting. Papaw decided that he needed to go to the store, so he walked out and got into his truck. Dad and I were inside visiting with mamaw when suddenly, we heard a loud “BANG!” A couple seconds later, we heard it again, “BANG!” My dad jumped up and ran to the door. As he opened the door, we heard it again, “BANG!” Dad looked out the door and I heard him yell, “Daddy – Stop!”

You may be wondering, as I was then, what in the world was going on. Well, let me tell you. My dad had just bought a new Jeep Wagoneer. When we pulled into the driveway, he parked behind papaw. When papaw left to go to the store, dad did not think about where he parked. Papaw went out, got into his truck and began to back out of the driveway. When he started back, he hit something. Rather than looking to see what he hit, he just pulled forward to get a good running go, threw it in reverse and hit it again. He did it about three or four times before dad could stop him. Needless to say, that new Jeep did not look so new anymore.

We have all heard that if you want to accomplish anything in life you have to be persistent and that is definitely true. However, there are times when persistence can be a negative thing. If you are a goal oriented person, achieving your goal probably drives your engine. As you drive toward the accomplishment of your goal, be sure to look around you. You may find that you are running over people as you persist toward your goal.

Papaw had a goal in mind and that was to get to the store, and he was persistent in reaching his goal. He did not need to forget about his goal. He just needed to patiently go around the obstacle that stood between him and his goal, rather than trying to run over it.

What or who are you running over in your impatience to reach your goal at all cost? If we are not careful, we may find that we have reached our goal but have no one left to enjoy it with us. Slow down a little, look around you, and patiently and carefully navigate your journey toward goal accomplishment. Doing it this way, you will have people rejoicing with you in your accomplishment rather than cursing you.

Remember, how you reach your goal is as important as reaching it. The journey toward it is where the good stuff is. The people you love and the lives you touch on the way will make reaching your goal most special.

Have a Great Day,
Bud

PS. Papaw went home to be with the Lord many years ago, but thinking about him still puts a smile on my face.

Life Is Dang Hard Sometimes

2008-12-19T08:45:00.001-05:00

If you have been in this world for a little while, you have discovered that life can be dang hard, sometimes overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like life is just too hard to deal with. During those seasons, we cannot see an end to our pain, and life as we have known it and planned it seems to have fallen apart. It is both frightening and depressing as we look ahead and see only darkness. We often begin a rollercoaster ride of emotions such as fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, grief and confusion. We tend to worry about the future and begin to feel empty, hopeless and helpless. Our imagination can create some future scenarios that scare the life out of us, most of which never come to pass. We may also feel the need to blame someone for our pain, even God. That has been going on since the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve were throwing blame around like a hot potato. It didn’t help then and it still doesn’t.

So, what do we do when life is dang hard? Over the years I have watched people (I’ve done it myself) make a bad situation worse by reacting quickly from their emotions. Most decisions made in haste at the height of emotion end up biting us in the rear down the road. Stop! Breathe deeply, and cry if you need to but do not act yet! Talk to God about your pain. Cry out to Him in the midst of your pain. Tell Him how you feel. Talk to a friend and have them pray with you and for you.

Now that you are crying out to Him, trust Him. This is not easy when life seems to be falling apart but it is necessary. I have stood on the proverb many times that says, “Trust in the Lord with all you heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your steps.” Realize all the negative things that you are imagining about your future are imaginations that have no basis in Gods plans for you. Know that even though you cannot see beyond the darkness into your future, God can and He will reveal it when the time is right.

I do not know one person that truly walks with God that hasn’t faced deep hurts in life. It is in those times of deep hurt and pain that we mature and learn to walk with God. When life hurts, we all have a choice to make. The right choices will help make us men and women of great character and strong faith. Right choices will help position us for Gods blessings in the future. God does not ask us to understand, just trust.

At 47 years old, I have enough life behind me to tell you that many times, I did not understand those painful moments of life, but in time, God has revealed much to me. In the things I still do not understand, I trust Him. I want to encourage you today to trust the One that is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-wise, and perfect love. In the months and years ahead, you will look back on this time in your life and say, “I understand now.” Since you are not there yet, TRUST Him. He loves you!

With Much Love,
Bud

The Day Robin Hood was Saved

2008-12-03T08:53:00.001-05:00

How would you have liked to have had the joy of leading Robin Hood to Jesus? Well, I did and it was awesome. I know you are probably thinking, “Bud has lost his marbles.” But no joke, I did. Robin’s wife visited the church one Sunday but Robin didn’t come. I guess he was busy robbing the rich and giving to the poor or something like that. His wife asked me if I would visit him and talk to him about Jesus and I said sure.

That next week, I jumped in my car and headed for Robin Hood’s house. I was having a little trouble finding the house so I stopped by a house near the neighborhood that I thought he lived in. I went to the door and asked the man standing there if he knew where Robin Hood lived. He laughed and looked around as if he thought he was being “Punked” or something. No camera’s, no “Punked,” just me standing there feeling like an idiot. I could even see that ugly little dog he was holding laughing at me. I explained to the man that Robin Hood lived near him somewhere but I could tell that we were not connecting. I think by the end of our conversation he was convinced that I was the one being “Punked” and I was beginning to wonder myself. Since I had never met Robin Hood, maybe the people at church were messing with me but I continued my journey until I found Robin Hood.

I rang the doorbell and when a man came to the door, I asked him if he was Robin Hood. I know he saw the grin that I was trying to hide. He had no idea what I had been through trying to find him. He smiled and said yes, so I introduced myself. He invited me in and we talked for a bit. As we talked, I sensed a spiritual interest in him. It does not always happen like this but the Holy Spirit had already prepared his heart before I got there. Since this was the case, I began looking for an opportunity to share Jesus love for him. The opportunity came and for the next few minutes, I shared Jesus with him. Robin was eager to pray and invite Jesus into his life and for sure Jesus was eager to accept the invitation. That was a special day for Robin and me; one that neither of us will forget.

There is absolutely no greater cause on earth for the follower of Christ than that of helping other people find life in Jesus. Jesus made it apparent that people are of utmost value to him by dieing on the cross for every person. Those of us that know Him are the only ones that can tell others about Him. Be sensitive as you go throughout your day, God might just put a Robin Hood in your path.

With Much Love
Bud

If anyone ever asks, you can tell him or her that you know who led Robin Hood to Jesus.

The Shotgun Story

2008-12-01T09:22:00.002-05:00

Note: The names have been changed in this story to protect the writer (Bud) from physical harm.

Doug was the son of a woman in the church that I was the pastor of at the time. He was a rebel through and through. I have always been drawn to rebels for some reason. His rough and tough exterior protected him, most of the time, from people who might want to share their faith with someone. Most were afraid of him. I wasn’t afraid of him but I think it was because I understand rebels. I was one and if you talk to the right people, they would probably tell you that I still am.

I had talked to Doug on a couple of occasions and enjoyed our conversation. I enjoyed talking with him much more than I did some of the people in the church. Doug was just Doug and he didn’t try to clean up his vocabulary for anyone, not even the preacher. I think I may have learned a couple cuss words that I had never heard but I haven’t used them yet.

I had been warned by some that there was no need to try to talk to Doug about Jesus because he would let you know right away that he didn’t believe in that *@&%. My first couple conversations with Doug were just chit chat about this and that. When he saw that I wasn’t going to preach to him, he let his guard down and we just talked. He shared some struggles he was going through and asked my advice. We just talked about life.

One day I got Doug on my mind and I felt like I should go talk to him about the Lord. I decided to pray for him and see if maybe it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to pray rather than visit. I could be picking up the wrong signals. Was it me or was it really God that wanted me to go? I thought to myself, “It is the middle of the day and surely, he is not home right now." I thought to myself again, “Maybe I should just wait until evening." No matter what I came up with, I kept sensing that I should go now. So, I went!

I pulled into the driveway where there were usually three or four old cars sitting around. I got out of my car and headed toward the front door when Doug opened the door and pointed a shotgun right at me. I froze in my steps. I thought to myself, “It was the devil that wanted me to come so he could kill me through Doug; I’m going to die for Jesus.”

With gun pointed, Doug begin to yell, “Get off my #$%@&^#&% ^$#%* property. I’ll blow your $^%%&^&$#&$^#*%*& head off!” Before I could think or say anything, I heard a voice from behind me say, go ahead and pull the ^#$&*$#(& trigger. I turned and looked behind me and it was Dale, another rebel that I knew, whose parents also attended the church. There was definitely a serious rift going on here between these two. It wasn’t the first time I found myself between two people with a serious rift (I do marriage counseling) but it was the first time a shotgun was involved.

The first thought that came to my mind was, “get out of the way Bud, if he pulls that trigger you are going to get more buckshot than Dale will get.” However, I knew if I moved, Doug would pull that trigger. He would end up in prison and Dale would be dead. That’s not the best-case scenario here.

For the next 15 minutes or so, I stood there between these two trying to talk them down. I turned to Dale and said, “Dale, I know you are angry but if you don’t leave now you aren’t going to live to see tomorrow. Whatever it is it’s not worth dying for.” I helped Dale to his truck with a little force and told him to go home or I would kill him with my bear hands. I think he halfway believed me but I’m sure it was the shotgun that convinced him.

I walked up to the house and encouraged Doug to go inside. We talked for a while and he vented. I told him of how God sent me there that day, it was no accident that I showed up when I did and I shared Jesus love for him. He sat and cried but didn’t make a decision to accept Jesus into his life. Before I left, he asked me to pray for him and I did. I don’t know if Doug ever accepted the Lord or not but I know he knew how if he wanted to because I told him.

Following Jesus is an adventure like no other. I will never forget Dale or Doug and I hope that somewhere along their journey, they chose to open their hearts to Jesus. If so, I will see them in heaven some day and we can laugh about that incident.

Enjoy Your Day,
Bud

I Am Grateful

2008-11-23T15:46:00.001-05:00

It’s 1:30pm on Sunday, everyone is gone and I am sitting here at my desk feeling overwhelmed with gratitude to God. I just shared a message on “The Attitude of Gratitude” about two hours ago and my heart is stirred with thankfulness to God. In Psalm 103 we find the words of David, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” The benefits of God are many in my life but the one that I am overwhelmed with right now is Harvest Church. This church is one of the benefits I have from God.

In the 26 years that I have been following my precious Lord, there have been very few Sundays that I haven’t been in a worship service on Sunday. That is a lot of worship services and I have preached in literally hundreds of churches. I can honestly tell you that I have never enjoyed it the way I do at Harvest. I have never enjoyed the ministry that God has called me to more than I am now. I can’t help but sit here with tears running down my face right now as I think about what a blessing Harvest is to me and my family.

My gratitude isn’t about a building, It’s about you who are part of Harvest. The buildings that we gather in on Sunday are just buildings. You all are what makes this place special.

As I pull onto the Harvest Campus on Sunday and see a neat clean campus because someone is keeping it up, my heart is blessed.

As I enjoy a cool building in the summer and a warm building in the winter because someone has changed the filters on the heat pumps keeping them maintained, my heart is blessed.

As I come into a clean building because someone cleaned it before we arrived, my heart is blessed.

As I watch you read a bulletin to keep up with the things going on at Harvest because someone made it, my heart is blessed.

As I look at our facilities and see relevant environments created because many worked hard to make it happen, my heart is blessed.

As I watch many of you come in at 8:00am on Sunday preparing and getting ready to pour out your love on all those who come to Kidstuf, my heart is blessed.

As I watch family after family come in with energy and enthusiasm to experience Kidstuf, my heart is blessed.

As I watch families experience a special time together learning the virtues of the word of God in an exciting and relevant way because the Kidstuf Team spent hours in preparation for the presentation, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the volunteers in Kazuriland and Upstreet come in excited about touching the life of a child with the love of Jesus, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the smiling faces of the kids and parents as they head for Kazuriland and Upstreet, my heart is blessed.

As I watch our middle schoolers gather for “The Outlet” ministry because they are being ministered to by people who care, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the Harvest Worship Band and Tech Team come in early on Sundays to prepare to lead us all into the presence of the Most High God in worship, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the signs get put out to guide people to our campus every Sunday, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the greeters greet everyone and make our guests feel welcome, my heart blessed.

As I realize that we have guests here on Sunday because you have invited people to come, my heart is blessed.

As I watch people enjoy a good cup of coffee because some one loved them enough to come early and make it for them, my heart is blessed.

As I watch others enjoy a drink from the cooler because someone filled it before everyone arrived, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the band use their gifts and talents with excellence and enthusiasm to minister to us every Sunday, my heart is blessed.

As I watch you laugh, smile and cry because someone prepared video presentations to minister to you, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the words to the songs and the scripture show up on the big screen to assist us in worship because someone prepared it and runs it, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the lighting change according to what is happening in the service because someone is there working them, my heart is blessed.

As I watch you worship with excitement and love for God, my heart is blessed.

As I watch the ushers joyfully receive the offerings and as I watch you give cheerfully and generously for the work of the kingdom of God on earth, my heart is blessed.

As I watch you listen intently as I share a message from the word of God, my heart is blessed.

As I watch our guests leave with a gift that someone prepared for them to let them know that they are special to us, my heart is blessed.

I could keep going on and on with the many ways you bless us all every Sunday, Harvest Church. I just want to say thank you God for Harvest and thank you all for helping make Harvest a church that my family and I love with all our hearts. You are special people, and I appreciate you and I love you all so very much. I am thankful for you!

Overwhelmed with Gratitude,

Bud

The Old Red Bible

2008-11-13T09:09:00.001-05:00

An old red Bible sat on a table at the entrance of the chapel of the funeral home. It was absolutely, worn out. The cover was ragged and the pages frayed. It was obvious that the owner of this Bible had read it until it was falling apart. I am sure it wasn’t his only Bible and I don’t know how many he wore out over the years but the condition of that old red Bible spoke volumes. It belonged to the man whose body was lying in the casket in the chapel. He had gone to be with his Lord at 83 years old.

The lines leading into the chapel were long and with each person in line, there was a story of how this man had touched their lives. They spoke of his generosity, kindness and encouragement in tough times. Some shared that he led them to the Lord. I had known him to be a kind and caring man. He was also a praying man. While in the hospital before his death, he prayed with many who came into his room. Some, who came to offer a prayer for him, left having been prayed for by him, because that was the kind of man he was.

I believe there was a definite connection between the life that man lived and the condition of that old red Bible. He read it and put it in his heart, day after day and year after year. He prayed and talked with the Lord and the Lord talked back to Him through the pages of that old Bible. God’s word is powerful and it does change lives when we take time to read it and put it in our hearts. As the preacher said the night of the funeral, “a man that has a Bible that is falling apart means his life isn’t.” Let’s take time to wear out a Bible or two before we leave this world. If we do, we will leave more than a ragged Bible, we will leave a legacy and people whose lives we have touched that will carry on till Jesus comes.

That man was Amy Patterson’s papaw, O.M. Woods. The legacy continues!

Coffee Cans and Mason Jars

2008-10-23T21:20:00.001-04:00

When I was a boy, I used to love to go to my mamaw’s house and get into her coffee cans. They didn’t have coffee in them (I didn’t drink coffee back in those days) they had cool stuff in them. One can had nuts and bolts, another had screws, another nails and another had little things she thought she might need to fix something with some day. She also had a mason jar full of buttons, every kind of button you could think of. No matter what broke around her house, she had a can or a jar with whatever she needed to fix it. I do the same thing now. I have coffee cans in my office with nails and screws, pens and pencils and other doo dads in them. I have the same thing at home. I cannot throw a coffee can away to save my life. When I die, I may not have much to leave my kids but they will have all the coffee cans they will ever need.

The problems in our economy in this country have made me do some thinking about mamaw and those coffee cans. She didn’t have a fancy doo dad organizer for her stuff but she had coffee cans that did just as well. She didn’t have the newest and best of things. She used what she had and she fixed what broke. She didn’t have credit cards loaded to the max because she didn’t have credit cards. If she couldn’t pay cash for it, she didn’t buy it. It didn’t matter what everyone else had, she didn’t have to have stuff to be happy. She was happy for other people when they got stuff but she was very content not to have it herself. When she did save enough to buy a new chair or couch or something, it was a celebration. It really meant something and she made a big deal of it with us grandkids. She was able to enjoy the little things like flowers in her flower garden, making quilts, putting puzzles together, catching bugs with us kids, and stuff like that.

Maybe some good things can come from the economic problems we are facing. It might help us get back to a simpler way of living. We may find that we can live with less stuff but more joy, love and contentment.

PS. What’s in your coffee can?

The Puzzle of Life

2008-10-20T11:02:00.001-04:00

Do you like to put puzzles together? Fifty piece puzzles are about the most my patience can take. Some people can do puzzles with thousands of pieces and that amazes me. My mamaw was one of them. I can remember sitting with her and trying to help her work one of those things. I would not last long before frustration hit and then I would just watch her work her magic (not real magic you understand). It overwhelmed me to look at that pile of puzzle pieces, but not her. In a few day’s she could turn a 5000 piece puzzle into a beautiful picture. Though I never did one by myself, I had a hand in many. It may have only been a few pieces but she always made me feel as though she could not have done it without me. I really miss her! She taught me that the most important thing about putting a puzzle together was starting with a corner piece and then building the outside edges first. Once the outer frame is finished, you can start on the inside.

Life is somewhat like putting a puzzle together. At first glance, it can seem overwhelming. There are financial pieces, marriage pieces, parenting pieces, work pieces, church pieces, recreational pieces, aging parent pieces, where do I go to college pieces, what do I do for a living pieces, and a thousand more pieces of the puzzle of life that have to be considered.

Mamaw taught me that you have to get the foundation (the outer edge pieces) first and then the others will be easier. Start with the corner piece. Scripture says Jesus is the Corner Stone. As our personal relationship with Jesus is enhanced through reading the scriptures and obeying what He says, praying, giving and serving, we will find that all the other pieces will come together much easier.

When we try to put the puzzle of life together apart from Him, it is going to be a frustrating journey. If we surrender our life to Him, He puts the puzzle of our life together and He knows what it is supposed to look like when it is finished. We tend to try to put pieces together that don’t belong. He knows what pieces need to come together and when. He knows what the result is supposed to look like and what it takes to get there. The picture you have in mind looks like you but the picture He has in mind looks a lot like Jesus. When you surrender to Him, walk with Him and trust Him even when the pieces don’t look right at the time, He will put the puzzle of your life together and the result will be a beautiful picture that looks a lot like Jesus. Be patient, the Master is at work in and through you.

PS. If you are doing your life puzzle yourself you will force pieces together that do not belong. It will just slow down the process because He has to take apart what we forced together without him. Let Him do His work in you in His time and in His way. It is tough at first but when the puzzle begins to come together, and the image is coming clearer, and the image looks like Him, you will like what you see.

The Greatest Commandment

2008-10-17T23:13:00.001-04:00

Mark 12

²⁸One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

²⁹"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ³¹The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

³²"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

In a conversation with a friend today, I was reminded of this passage of scripture. The way she said it was, “If you don’t love God and love people, nothing else matters.” I have been pondering her statement today and my question is; how have we drifted so far away from the main thing? Our country could be healed in a day if every person that calls themselves Christian, would love God with all their heart and love people as they love themselves. We are not too shabby at loving ourselves; it is loving God and loving others that give us problems.

I’m afraid many today find themselves somewhat like the man Jesus was talking with. He knew the answer but there was still something missing. What was it? I think it was that he knew the right answer in his head but it had not made it to his heart yet. Most believers know this scripture. Maybe you could not give chapter and verse but most of us know it. It is not enough to know it, it has to flow our of our heart to our actions. Love is a verb. It is something we do. Jesus scolded the Pharisee’s for giving lip service but having empty hearts.

That brings me to my next question to ponder. What, in my actions not my words, tells Jesus that I love Him with all my heart? And what, in my actions not my words, tells others that I love them as much as I love myself? Imagine Peter looking into the eyes of Jesus when Jesus asked him, “Peter do you love me?” What would you say if you were looking into the eyes of Jesus right now and He asked you that question? The honest answer from the average Christian in America would be, “I don’t have time.”

There is also a world of hurting people all around us asking, “Does anyone love me?” To that question, we can say yes and walk away or we can show them that we love them. Who do you know that is hurting and needs your comfort today?

Can you imagine a world full of people who love God with all their heart and love others as much as they love themselves? We cannot make that decision for everyone else but we can make it for ourselves. It has to start sometime and it has to start somewhere. How about now and how about us?

Spiritual Seasons of Life

2008-10-01T22:57:00.003-04:00

Do the seasons changing affect you? It seems like with each season change I have to recalibrate my system. I am not sure why. I suppose there is some scientific reason but I do not feel like trying to find out what it is because it’s fall. In a way, I like fall. The leaves are pretty and I like the cool air but mostly because of football. I do struggle a little this time of year because things are dieing. I like spring better. That’s when things are coming alive. I struggle most with winter when everything outside is dead. The good thing is that I have been through enough seasons in my life that I know they come and go year after year. If I did not have knowledge of the seasons, I would probably panic toward the end of fall. I might even think the world is dieing but I have experienced enough seasons to know that spring is coming back around again.

It is like that with our spiritual lives. We all go through seasons. We have times of great joy and times of sorrow. We have times when we feel so alive in Christ and times when we feel dead inside. We have times when praying is a drudgery, and times when it is intimate and precious. We have times when we feel close to God and times when He feels so far away. We have times when we know we love our Lord and times we wonder. We have times we feel weak and times we feel strong. We have times at church services when we feel great and times we just do not feel it.

I have learned in 26 years or so of walking with God that there are seasons there too. In my early days, I would panic when I was in a down season spiritually. I don’t panic anymore. I know that it may feel like fall or winter in my spiritual life right now but I also know spring and summer will come. I just have to stay focused and keep on keeping on.

If you are in a season where you are just not feeling it, hang in there. If you do, a season of life is just around the corner. Sometimes winters can seem long, like they will last forever but they won’t. Spring will come. In 46 years of life, I have not seen a year go by when it didn’t. The same goes with our spiritual lives. Don’t quit. Don’t walk away. Don’t give up. Spring is coming again!

The Heart of the Matter

2008-09-15T14:13:00.002-04:00

Is your heart in it? Has anyone ever asked you that question? Probably. It could have been a coach, a boss, a teacher, a spouse, a parent or a pastor. Sometimes in life, it is easy to be bogged down with the day-to-day routines and just do life without passion or heart.

Over the years, I have observed that when our hearts grow cold toward God, we lose heart for serving the purposes of God. When your life is spiritually out-of-whack, you may do your job anyway but something very important is missing. Your heart, and when your heart is not in it, it shows. Little things irritate you. Your patience is short. You are complaining more than usual. You view the people you minister to as irritating and in the way rather than invaluable and the reason we do what we do.

When our hearts grow cold and selfish, we tend to do one of three things and only one of them is right. (#1) Some people run away. The problem with that is that they take their cold heart with them. I have seen people run from marriages, jobs, and even serving in church. I have never understood someone choosing to keep a cold heart and running rather than dealing with the condition of their heart. (#2) Some people just keep going through the motions and hurting people in the process. (#3) Some people realize their coldness and do something about it. I find it interesting that sometimes people do not even consider #3 but it is the ONLY solution that God accepts.

If you have found that your heart has grown cold and you want to do something about it, here are a few pointers.

1. Pray like there is no tomorrow, even if you do not feel like it and even if you feel like God is not listening. Remember God said that those who search for Him with all their heart will find Him. Fast and pray. Cry out to God.

2. Repent of any sin that you have allowed to set up camp in your life. The pleasure of sin is not worth the pain of a broken relationship with God. Sin can come in the form of things you are doing such as (read Galatians 5) sexual immorality, idolatry, drunkenness, selfish ambition, envy or hatred. We can also commit sins of omission by not praying, not reading the Bible, not tithing and giving with a generous heart, not sharing our faith, not serving and not loving. If we sin we have an advocate with the Father (Read 1 John) in Jesus and He will forgive us if we confess our sin to Him.

3. Tell God you want to be passionate in your relationship with Him but you just cannot seem to do it. Ask Him to help you do what you cannot do alone. Ask Him to make you hungry for Him. Ask Him to make you thirsty for Him.

4. Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit.

5. Obey the truths of scripture whether your flesh wants to or not.

This life of following Christ is a journey. It is a journey with both valleys and mountains. It is a journey with both friends and foes. We are called to walk this journey with our Lord and to surrender every part of it to Him. Only when we surrender completely do we find the true joy and adventure in the journey.

Is your heart in it? I hope so! However, if it is not, do not waste time getting it there.

A Little Help Please

2008-09-05T10:22:00.002-04:00

As I approached the coffee counter, I noticed a nervous look in the young man’s eyes. An older woman working with him stood behind him watching as I approached the counter. He was visibly nervous but took my order. I keep it simple with my coffee so I told the young man that I wanted a tall coffee of the day. The older woman left thinking this order was simple enough. He took my order and asked me if I wanted room for coffee. Realizing what he had just asked, he nervously said, “I mean cream”. I said, “no, black is good.” It was obvious that he was new and was in training. He handed me my coffee, I thanked him and sat down, and began to read.

A girl approached the counter and started her order. It made me nervous! She ordered Mocha something with two shots of decaf (why) espresso; a squirt of coconut, a squirt of French vanilla, and a half squirt of something else. I had never heard anyone order a squirt before. I could see the panic in the young man's eyes. I was panicking and I did not even have to make it. She said she was going to find a book and would be back. As she walked away, he looked dazed and confused. I wondered how someone could even think up a concoction like that. I also wondered if she was a plant. Maybe they sent her there to see what he would do. Regardless, I like what he did next.

He got on the intercom and asked Tammy to come to the café counter. She came and he explained as best he could, what the girl had ordered. She also looked confused but confidently confused. They both went to shooting and squirting until they had the drink. The girl came back, got her drink and left a happy customer.

The moral of the story is this: Do not be afraid or too proud to ask for help. We all run into life situations where we are just not sure how to proceed. God created us in a way that we need Him and we need each other. I have watched people make decisions that were detrimental to their families because they would not ask for help or advice. We can get awesome counsel from the word of God and from wise people. That, is the way God meant it to be. We need Him and we need each other. Life can be difficult sometimes but it is much more difficult when we try to do it alone. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.

PS. Life is much simpler for everybody when you drink your coffee black!

Dancin' With Jesus

2008-09-02T12:38:00.003-04:00

How long has it been since you’ve danced? A few months ago Carla and I did a slow dance at Rob and Stacey’s wedding reception. As we started we had a little problem. You can’t slow dance with two leaders. If you don’t believe me try it. I said, “Okay Honey, just relax and flow with my lead (I had some rhythm back in the day). If you know Carla, relaxing and following are not her strengths but she yielded to my request. She discovered that relaxing and following my lead made the experience with the “Dancing King” (with two left feet) much more enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, we were dancing again at Ashley Godsey Tidwell’s wedding reception. This time Carla immediately relaxed and fell into my lead. Why? She discovered that she could trust the “Dancing King” to lead and that if she followed my lead we would flow as one in motion.

Everyday we have an opportunity to dance with Jesus. It’s difficult and awkward when we don’t just relax and let Him lead. When we are trying to go our way and He is trying to lead us another way, we are not dancing we are wrestling. Just relax and follow His lead and flow as one in motion with Him. Wherever He leads – follow. I believe we will find life to be much more fulfilling as we dance with Jesus day after day. Dance with Jesus today!

PS. I remember hearing a sermon when I was a brand new follower of Christ. The preacher said that a dancing leg and a praying knee won’t fit on the same leg. I found out that he was wrong. If you see him out somewhere don’t tell him I said that. I keep the “Dancing King” thing under wraps.

Please Let Me Do It

2008-09-02T12:26:00.001-04:00

Please let me do it! That is what the girl on the other end of the phone said. I spent, about an hour, on the phone with a tech from Dell. She was trying to fix a problem with a computer. I had given her permission to take full control of the computer so she could fix the problem. Even though she was in control, she wanted me on the phone with her because she needed me to do something occasionally. A couple of times I would get in a hurry and move the mouse myself. When I did she would say, “Please let me do it.” Obviously, she knew more about the computer than I did and my interference made her job more difficult and could have made my situation worse. When I took the control back from her, it delayed outcome. If the fix was going to happen, she needed me to allow her to control the situation, be patient, and follow her direction.

That is the way we are with God sometimes. We give God control of our lives and then we interfere with the process He has chosen to help us. Obviously, He knows more about life than we do. When God is fixing something in our lives, the best thing we can do is let Him do it. He knows what He is doing. I do not know about you but there are times that I get in a hurry when He is fixing something in my life, and I take control back from Him.

At those moments He is probably saying, “Please let me do it.” He wants us online with Him so He can instruct us as to what and when He wants something done but He wants to maintain control. He needs to be in control if the fix is going to happen.

It may seem that He is taking too long sometimes and that is when we are so tempted to do it ourselves. Don’t! Don’t do it! He is God. He has the credentials for the job. He knows more about our operating system than we do. He knows what He is doing and He knows exactly how long it takes to do it. You are far more important to Him than the circumstance. That does not mean that He is not concerned about our situations but He knows how to fix them, while fixing us.

Sometimes He has such a huge blessing for us down the road, if He does not fix what needs fixed, we will not be able to handle the blessing. The bigger the blessing the greater the spiritual, psychological and emotional support system in our life needs to be. If the support system is not adequate, the blessing could result in our downfall. We could loose our way. We could put what is most important in life on the back burner. We could allow our priorities to become terribly, displaced.

We do not know the future but He does. When He seems to be going to slow, I try to remember that He loves me so much and wants a wonderful future for me. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God has great plans for you and He knows how to bring them to pass.

So, take your hand off that mouse, do what he tells you to do when He tells you to do it and be patient. Let Him control the situation and follow directions. Your situation will soon be history and you will have the proper foundation to support the huge blessing that is coming your way.

Lessons From A Tiny Little Man

2008-09-02T11:12:00.001-04:00

There was a tiny little man at my house on Saturday. He was not actually a man. He was a six, year old boy but I felt like I was talking to a tiny little man. His grandpa was at our house doing some work and “little man” came along. As that little boy talked and talked and talked, I could here the teachings and wisdom of his grandpa coming through. I learned a couple things from that little boy that day.

Lesson 1

As we walked around the house, it seemed he was looking for something. He would move things and look under them. He would look behind stuff. He would dig through stuff. He looked up at me and said, “Let me show you how to find things.” I said, “What kind of things?” He said, “Fun things and treasures and stuff.” Then he said, “If you want to find things you have to look for them. If you just walk around you can’t find things. You have to look!” I think he felt sorry for me because he had a handful of things and I had nothing. I was just walking around. He straightened me out, and by the end of our walk and talk, I had fun things and treasures and stuff too.

Life is like that. Lot’s of neat opportunities will present themselves to us daily. Most of us miss them because we are not looking for them. Some opportunities are not in plain sight. Sometimes looking in the most unexpected places, we find “fun things and treasures and stuff.” When I walked out the door to find that little boy and talk some with him, I found a treasure in an unexpected place. Just remember, as the tiny little man told me, “If you want to find things, you have to look for them. If you just walk around you can’t find things.”

Lesson 2

Joshua has a gadget that he uses to practice his golf swing. It is a training tool. Little man found it in the carport. It brought him to the subject of golf, which was the one of many subjects we discussed. He told me that you can break a window with a golf ball (wonder how he knows that). He told me that if I needed to find golf balls, I could go to a golf course and look in the woods (He was back to the, “if you want to find things you have to look for them because you can’t find things just walking around,” talk.). Looking at the practice gadget, he said, “Is that thing easy to use?” I said, “Yes, it is easy.” He said, “Then that thing is no good.” I said, “Why is it no good?” He said, “Because if it is easy you’re not learning anything!”

Life is like that too. Learning new things is not easy. That is why so many people do not keep learning through life. If we want to keep growing, we have to keep learning. Commit yourself to learn something that you do not already know. It will expand your life.Just remember the words of a tiny little man, “If it’s easy, you’re not learning anything.”

Childlike Attitude

2008-09-02T11:09:00.000-04:00

The parking lot was crowded at the Mall as usual. As Amy and her girls drove around looking for a parking space, it began to rain and they had no umbrella. The rain was steady with no relief in sight. It appeared that if they were going to get into the Mall, they would get drenched. Lauren sat in her seat with her new flowered shirt on. Her first thought was that she did not want to get her new flowered shirt wet. Then with a moments thought she said, “Mommy, it is okay if I get my shirt wet, the flowers need watered anyway.” She was speaking of the flowers on her shirt.

I think we need to have a childlike attitude about life sometimes. No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, think positive. When the dark clouds of life drop the rain of problems on you, look for the positive. A positive attitude will bring an entirely new perspective to life. Today, rather than complaining, find the positive. Make it a habit and begin to enjoy life more. What you think is a negative situation might just be what God is using to water your flowers.

PS. Take every opportunity you have to hang out with a child. It will brighten your day and you will learn some important life lessons at the same time.